1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a four-in-one mattress management system and method for facilitating various tasks associated with beds of all sizes including making beds; rotating mattresses; holding a bed skirt in place while a mattress is rotated; installing or removing and re-installing a mattress, for example, in order to replace a bed skirt.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A conventional bed includes a box spring or bottom mattress or platform, (hereinafter “foundation”) and a top mattress. Top mattresses are relatively heavy items. The weight of a mattress varies as a function of the coil core, the gauge of the coil and the type of material or foam material used. An average king size mattress weighs between 85 and 115 pounds. High end king size mattresses with latex or memory foam can weigh as much as 300 pounds (http:/www.mattressdirectonline.com). As such, various tasks associated with the bed can be relatively strenuous.
For example, hotel and motel chains as well as healthcare facilities which include hospitals, nursing homes and extended care facilities (hereinafter “commercial facilities”) are known to only use flat sheets in their facilities due to the lower cost of flat sheets relative to fitted sheets and the desire to maintain fewer items in their respective inventories. As such, in order to properly make the beds in such facilities with flat sheets, housekeeping personnel need to lift the top mattress, which can be quite heavy, as discussed above. More particularly, in such facilities beds are made with a top sheet and a bottom sheet and a blanket. Both the top sheet and the bottom sheets are flat sheets.
In order to properly make the bed, the top and bottom sheets are tucked in between the top mattress and the foundation. More specifically, the bottom sheet is placed on the bed so that an equal amount of the sheet hangs off each side of the bed and an equal amount of the sheet hangs off the head and foot regions of the bed. The excess is tucked in at the head and foot regions of the bed to form so called “hospital corners”. Next, the excess portions of the bottom sheet are tucked in next between the mattress and the box spring. The top sheet is then placed on top of the bottom sheet and placed and tucked in the same manner as the bottom sheet with hospital style corners except the head region is left open. In other words, only the foot and side portions of the top sheet are tucked between the mattress and the box spring. Next, a blanket is placed on the bed and may be tucked in the same manner as the top sheet.
In order to tuck the top and bottom sheets between the mattress and the box spring, the top mattress must normally be lifted. As mentioned above, mattresses can weigh up to 300 pounds. In order to make a bed, a housekeeping employee may need to lift a mattress up to ten (10) times per bed-four (4) times for the bottom sheet and three (3) times for the top sheet and the blanket. Assuming that each housekeeping employee in a hotel, motel or healthcare facility makes at least 20-30 beds in a single shift, each housekeeping employee would typically lift a mattress at least 150-200 times per shift. Since bed making is a daily chore, housekeeping employees probably lift mattresses 150-200 times per shift on a daily basis.
Such sustained and repetitive lifting leads to employees developing back problems, resulting in employees missing work or, in severe cases, being placed on disability. Measures have been taken to mitigate such health problems. For example, simply using fitted sheets for the lower sheet reduces the number of times the mattress is to be lifted by 40%. However, fitted sheets do not provide the “hospital corners” in the lower bed sheets that hospitals are known for. Moreover, even using fitted sheets for the bottom sheet still requires a housekeeping employee to lift mattresses at least 90-160 times per day using the example above.
The use of fitted sheets is not without its drawbacks. For example, fitted sheets cost more than flat sheets. Also, frequent washing of sheets in commercial facilities tends to wear out the elastic in fitted sheets. As such, fitted sheets used in such facilities need to be replaced in applications in commercial facilities more frequently than straight sheets.
Other tasks associated with the bed can also be relatively strenuous. These tasks include rotating the mattress, both with and without a bed skirt, and removing the mattress in order to replace a bed skirt.
Thus, there is a need to facilitate these tasks.